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2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

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Khari Holland
Khari Holland

This document discusses the production of a promotional package for a film as part of a media course assignment. It includes a film trailer, magazine cover, and poster. The author conducted research on codes and conventions to effectively promote the film across different media platforms. Key characters, costumes, logos, and other iconic elements were consistently featured in each product to clearly link them and create synergy in advertising the same film. The use of multiple media helps target different audiences.

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One of the key factors in determining the success or failure of any film is the marketing campaign. As part of my media coursework I was asked to produce a promotion package for a new film including the trailer, a film magazine front cover and a poster for the film. Promotion is one of the marketing mix elements. The marketing mix includes the four P's: price, product, promotion and place. Promotion refers to raising customer awareness of a brand or product, generating sales and creating brand loyalty. Therefore I needed to include all these aspects when producing my products to ensure the idea of a 'promotional package'.
Before producing my film trailer I conducted sufficient research and analysis on the required codes and conventions to make sure it was effective in promoting the film to an audience. Similarly this task was carried out for both my ancillary products, the magazine front cover and poster to promote the film. Creating my products based on the codes and conventions of existing media products would give my products more of a professional touch and would be more effective in attracting the target audience. Selling the film to the target audience involves generating publicity, expectation and interest. This is where the combination of my ancillary products and main product become effective in doing so.
Magazine front cover Film poster The purpose of both my poster and magazine cover featuring the film is to advertise the film to as many audiences as possible. Being print media platform enables wider distribution increasing audience consumption. The theme of the promotion package usually generates ideas from the main product which is the film trailer. Iconic images, titles/fonts, colour schemes and characters make it easier for audiences to associate the product across different media platforms.
Print (Magazine cover and poster) The use of two print products as well as a moving image as part of a promotional package is effective in gaining a mass audience. I am able to target both my primary audience of ages 15-23 and my secondary audience of ages 24-32. As part of a highly technological society the moving image medium will appeal more to young teenagers as well as the working demographic of ages 20+. However on the other hand, the print products will be used to target my secondary audience of an elder age demographic who are highly interested in film magazines with ‘Empire’ as their preference.
I tried to ensure that my main product (film trailer) and ancillary tasks (magazine cover and poster) were linked. The magazine firstly has the same two characters in the main image as in the film and film poster. Although the image isn't exactly the same across both the magazine and poster both characters have the same costume, hair and make-up like in the trailer. This will enable audiences to recognize and identify these characters immediately. Original poster image Original magazine image
The characters within the trailer.. Characters are seen in the same costume throughout all three products which illustrate it is the same product which is being advertised across each media platform. Charli Black Black Hood
The main protagonist TrailerPoster Magazine In each the trailer, poster and magazine front cover Charli Black is presented continuously. This is significant as she is the main character of the film I decided to feature her across all products to emphasize this and ensure there was a clear link between each product. The character is also portrayed with different facial expressions on each product to create a form of identity. The character looks scared, vulnerable and fragile in the two snapshots above from the trailer. Similarly to the poster she looks as if she’s seeking for help/somewhere to turn to. Whereas in the magazine she looks more serious. All these expressions are used to indicate what the film is about and the type of character she is.
Additionally… The use of a female main character follows the conventions of most horror film trailers. Women are used in horrors as they are stereotypically seen with ‘vulnerable’ representations. This is crucial in horrors as they make the perfect victim, or damsel in distress by being an easy target. Also, Laura Mulvey’s theory of the ‘male gaze’ can also be applied because it is also common to use young and attractive females as the main character simply for the gratification of the male gaze.
The antagonist In each the trailer, poster and magazine front cover ‘Black Hood’ is represented as the ‘bad character’ in the film. Wearing all black including a balaclava type scarf around the face and a hood all hold negative values. The black hood and costume is significant in representing this character. Seen from a distance Black Hood is seen as a shadowed figure. Through each product we are unable to identify Black Hoods actual identity. This adheres to horror genre by leaving the audience in fear of the ‘unknown’. Also, the colour black has many negative connotations which also adds to the horror genre. The iconic attributes of this character help to illustrate a clear link between each of the products. Poster Magazine Trailer
Film title The film title has a consistent iconic font throughout all media products. This clearly illustrates that it's the same film being promoted across both moving image and print platforms. Having a consistent font enables audiences to establish what film is being advertised. Over the two ancillary products I managed to keep the font colour the same pale purple-grey colour. However in the trailer the title is black on a contrasting white background. This was to portray the meaning of the film simply and by following the conventions of the trailer. Magazine Poster Trailer
Production company Shown at the start of the trailer End of trailer under the ‘coming soon’ Presented on the film poster alongside the credits Across each the trailer and film poster I have used the same production company logo ‘Eclipse films’. This is significant in making the two products link. Showing that both products are related to or from the same production company will enable audiences to associate the two products together.
Online interaction Trailer Poster Magazine The use of website URL’s are to encourage the audience in further interaction with the film. In the film trailer and poster I made sure that ‘www.thetormented.co.uk’ were both presented. This is to show that both products are promoting the same film and are able to visit the same website for more information. On the other hand the magazine cover also has a website URL, except it’s the conventional ‘empireonline.com’ which follow the forms and conventions of the Empire magazine. Therefore to continue the professional house style of Empire magazine I decided to only present the magazines website and in the same position between the M to ensure I continued to promote the brands image in the same way.
Synergy Synergy is the strategy of synchronizing and actively forging connections between directly related areas of entertainment. Synergy can be used most often by bigger companies (often media conglomerates) working together in order to promote linked products across different media platforms. The use of synergy in releasing two or more products at once will help to promote each other. Overall I think I have created the use of ‘synergy’ between each of my media products effectively. I have made sure there are iconic and eye-catching elements for audiences to memorise, which all work effectively to create a ‘promotion package’ for The Tormented.

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2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

  • 1. One of the key factors in determining the success or failure of any film is the marketing campaign. As part of my media coursework I was asked to produce a promotion package for a new film including the trailer, a film magazine front cover and a poster for the film. Promotion is one of the marketing mix elements. The marketing mix includes the four P's: price, product, promotion and place. Promotion refers to raising customer awareness of a brand or product, generating sales and creating brand loyalty. Therefore I needed to include all these aspects when producing my products to ensure the idea of a 'promotional package'.
  • 2. Before producing my film trailer I conducted sufficient research and analysis on the required codes and conventions to make sure it was effective in promoting the film to an audience. Similarly this task was carried out for both my ancillary products, the magazine front cover and poster to promote the film. Creating my products based on the codes and conventions of existing media products would give my products more of a professional touch and would be more effective in attracting the target audience. Selling the film to the target audience involves generating publicity, expectation and interest. This is where the combination of my ancillary products and main product become effective in doing so.
  • 3. Magazine front cover Film poster The purpose of both my poster and magazine cover featuring the film is to advertise the film to as many audiences as possible. Being print media platform enables wider distribution increasing audience consumption. The theme of the promotion package usually generates ideas from the main product which is the film trailer. Iconic images, titles/fonts, colour schemes and characters make it easier for audiences to associate the product across different media platforms.
  • 4. Print (Magazine cover and poster) The use of two print products as well as a moving image as part of a promotional package is effective in gaining a mass audience. I am able to target both my primary audience of ages 15-23 and my secondary audience of ages 24-32. As part of a highly technological society the moving image medium will appeal more to young teenagers as well as the working demographic of ages 20+. However on the other hand, the print products will be used to target my secondary audience of an elder age demographic who are highly interested in film magazines with ‘Empire’ as their preference.
  • 5. I tried to ensure that my main product (film trailer) and ancillary tasks (magazine cover and poster) were linked. The magazine firstly has the same two characters in the main image as in the film and film poster. Although the image isn't exactly the same across both the magazine and poster both characters have the same costume, hair and make-up like in the trailer. This will enable audiences to recognize and identify these characters immediately. Original poster image Original magazine image
  • 6. The characters within the trailer.. Characters are seen in the same costume throughout all three products which illustrate it is the same product which is being advertised across each media platform. Charli Black Black Hood
  • 7. The main protagonist TrailerPoster Magazine In each the trailer, poster and magazine front cover Charli Black is presented continuously. This is significant as she is the main character of the film I decided to feature her across all products to emphasize this and ensure there was a clear link between each product. The character is also portrayed with different facial expressions on each product to create a form of identity. The character looks scared, vulnerable and fragile in the two snapshots above from the trailer. Similarly to the poster she looks as if she’s seeking for help/somewhere to turn to. Whereas in the magazine she looks more serious. All these expressions are used to indicate what the film is about and the type of character she is.
  • 8. Additionally… The use of a female main character follows the conventions of most horror film trailers. Women are used in horrors as they are stereotypically seen with ‘vulnerable’ representations. This is crucial in horrors as they make the perfect victim, or damsel in distress by being an easy target. Also, Laura Mulvey’s theory of the ‘male gaze’ can also be applied because it is also common to use young and attractive females as the main character simply for the gratification of the male gaze.
  • 9. The antagonist In each the trailer, poster and magazine front cover ‘Black Hood’ is represented as the ‘bad character’ in the film. Wearing all black including a balaclava type scarf around the face and a hood all hold negative values. The black hood and costume is significant in representing this character. Seen from a distance Black Hood is seen as a shadowed figure. Through each product we are unable to identify Black Hoods actual identity. This adheres to horror genre by leaving the audience in fear of the ‘unknown’. Also, the colour black has many negative connotations which also adds to the horror genre. The iconic attributes of this character help to illustrate a clear link between each of the products. Poster Magazine Trailer
  • 10. Film title The film title has a consistent iconic font throughout all media products. This clearly illustrates that it's the same film being promoted across both moving image and print platforms. Having a consistent font enables audiences to establish what film is being advertised. Over the two ancillary products I managed to keep the font colour the same pale purple-grey colour. However in the trailer the title is black on a contrasting white background. This was to portray the meaning of the film simply and by following the conventions of the trailer. Magazine Poster Trailer
  • 11. Production company Shown at the start of the trailer End of trailer under the ‘coming soon’ Presented on the film poster alongside the credits Across each the trailer and film poster I have used the same production company logo ‘Eclipse films’. This is significant in making the two products link. Showing that both products are related to or from the same production company will enable audiences to associate the two products together.
  • 12. Online interaction Trailer Poster Magazine The use of website URL’s are to encourage the audience in further interaction with the film. In the film trailer and poster I made sure that ‘www.thetormented.co.uk’ were both presented. This is to show that both products are promoting the same film and are able to visit the same website for more information. On the other hand the magazine cover also has a website URL, except it’s the conventional ‘empireonline.com’ which follow the forms and conventions of the Empire magazine. Therefore to continue the professional house style of Empire magazine I decided to only present the magazines website and in the same position between the M to ensure I continued to promote the brands image in the same way.
  • 13. Synergy Synergy is the strategy of synchronizing and actively forging connections between directly related areas of entertainment. Synergy can be used most often by bigger companies (often media conglomerates) working together in order to promote linked products across different media platforms. The use of synergy in releasing two or more products at once will help to promote each other. Overall I think I have created the use of ‘synergy’ between each of my media products effectively. I have made sure there are iconic and eye-catching elements for audiences to memorise, which all work effectively to create a ‘promotion package’ for The Tormented.